


Duty and In Death, Sacrifice

by Aleanbh, The Calling Comes to All (Aleanbh)



Series: Elissa Cousland [1]
Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Angst, F/M, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-05
Updated: 2014-12-05
Packaged: 2018-02-28 05:51:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2721137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aleanbh/pseuds/Aleanbh, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aleanbh/pseuds/The%20Calling%20Comes%20to%20All
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elissa Cousland must betray Alistair in order to save her country.  As her father had said before dying, "A Cousland must always do their duty."</p><p>No matter the cost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Necessity

Alistair was standing at the foot of her bed when Elissa returned to her room, his arms crossed and his mouth set into a hard line.  A knot formed in the pit of her stomach, knowing that he'd only be in here to discuss one thing: the Archdemon.  Elissa forced herself to smile, slowly taking off her cloak and breast plate before sitting down at the edge of her bed, leaning down to start tugging off her boots.

                "I thought you were going to bed," she said lightly, tossing her boots to the side before stripping down to her smallclothes.  Alistair's face flushed red, turning away out of habit.  _Not even slightly distracted...not a good sign._   "We need all the rest we can get while we can."

                "We need to discuss tomorrow," he said, cutting right to the point.  "In the event Riordan fails, there's no need for you to die."  Alistair's voice caught, as though he were on the edge of tears.  After taking a second to compose himself, he continued. "It is my duty as the eldest Warden, I should be the one to kill it."

                Elissa's eyes narrowed as she tugged a nightshirt over her head.  "And what of becoming king?"

                "Anora can rule," he replied with a shrug.  "I never cared about becoming king and you know that."  He turned back to face her and moved closer, reaching out and taking her hand.  "Besides, this would be the best king I could be, my first and last act being to stop this Blight before it really starts."  He was smiling, yet there was none of his usual mirth behind it.  "No one could blame me for that, could they?"

                "I could."  Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper.  She refused to look up at him, hiding the tears that threatened to spill.  "I think you would be a great king, Alistair.  Fereldan needs a strong leader and I saw that so clearly in you this afternoon at the Landsmeet.  I chose _you_ for a reason, not her." 

                "Really?" he asked, doing his best to keep his voice steady.  He was trying to make light of his sacrifice, of sentencing her to a life without him and his easy smiles.  "Because I think I would be a piss poor king.  I don't know the first thing about it, honestly."  He sobered after a moment.  "That's...not the only reason, either.  You know how I feel about you.  I won't let you die, not if I can do something about it."

                Elissa glared at him, pulling away.  "It sounds like you _want_ to throw your life away!" she spat angrily.  A tear escaped, trailing down her cheek.  "If that's what you really want, then go ahead."

                "What I _want_ is to stay with you," Alistair replied, his fingers gently tipping her chin back so she was looking into his eyes.  He brushed the tear away before cupping her cheek.  "Unfortunately I don't get that either way, so this...this works better."  He smiled despite his own tears and Elissa coiled her arms around him, burying her face in his neck.  "I'm glad we had the time that we did.  Don't...forget about me.  Please."

                "I can't let you do this!" she sobbed, fingers clenched in his tunic. 

                Alistair's arms wrapped around her, pulling her into his lap as he rocked her gently.  "You say that as if I'm giving you a choice."

                _Maker damn you!_ Elissa thought, pressing her face against his chest.  She could feel his heart beating, right next to her ear.  _Have I not sacrificed enough?  My family, my honor, and now the only one who made it all bearable?!  A cruel joke, to have a clean victory so close and not know what poison hid beneath the surface til the last moment._  

                "I love you," she said softly.  _Will he ever forgive me?_ "You know that, don't you?"

                "Of course I do," Alistair said, tucking her head under his chin.  "As you know I love you, I would hope."

                "No matter what?"  Her heart hammered in her chest, every shred of her control straining against the urge to scream.

                "No matter what."  Alistair kissed her, rolling so that he was atop her.  His attentions soon numbed her sorrow and she allowed herself the solace that their last night held.

                _Maker, I pray it be so._


	2. Final Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elissa asks Sten for a favor.

"What is it you need, kadan?" the qunari asked as the Warden approached.   "You seem troubled."

                "I am," Elissa said without preamble.  With her other companions, she felt the need to keep her mask in place, but never with Sten.  "Tomorrow is the eve we've been waiting for, and yet..."

                "One of the Grey Wardens must be sacrificed," he finished for her. 

                "Aye, and therein lies where I need your help."  Elissa had settled into a chair near where Sten was standing, burying her face in her hands.  After a few moments of composing herself, she looked up at him.  "Alistair has been named king, and Fereldan will need him once all of this is over and done with."

                "So the task will fall to you or Riordan," Sten said bluntly. 

                "If only it were so simple," Elissa replied, smiling sadly.  "If Riordan can defeat the Archdemon, then all my worries will be for naught.  But if something were to happen to him, it must be me that slays the creature.  Alistair _must_ live if there is any hope to rebuild this country after the Blight is taken care of."

                "Or else Fereldan risks another civil war."

                "Precisely."  The woman stood up and began to pace.  "Alistair has already made it clear to me that he refuses to watch me sacrifice myself."  Elissa's pacing halted abruptly, turning to face him and for the first time since Sten had joined her, he saw she was crying.  "As though the thought doesn't pain me as much as it does him, it's _necessary!_ "

                "What is it you need of me, kadan?" Sten asked once again, resisting the urge to reach out and brush away her tears.  "You need only ask."

                "He insists on accompanying me," she said after a moment, her breath hitching.  "Alistair's too stubborn for his own damn good and I know full well what he intends."  She grit her teeth, biting back a sob and seemed angry at herself for showing weakness.  "He will slay the creature if Riordan fails and will doom this country in doing so."  Her steel grey eyes pierced him, fierce as any qunari warrior.  "I need you to ensure that he _can't_."

                Sten was quiet for a time, and for a moment Elissa was afraid he would refuse her.  Instead, the warrior came to her and took her into his arms without a word.  The walls she had slammed into place crumbled and she held onto the qunari, sobbing brokenly as the reality of her duty crashed around her.   Elissa could see the path ahead of Alistair, and she felt a stabbing pain in her heart, knowing how this would hurt him.

                _A Cousland must always do their duty,_ she thought, her father's words seared into her mind, yet it did nothing to ease the pain in her soul.  _No matter the cost._

***

                When the time came, Sten was brutal and merciless.  As the Archdemon began to weaken, the qunari had abandoned the Genlock Alpha he had been battling and instead ran to assist Alistair, who was close to being overwhelmed by a swarm of Hurlocks.  Alistair grunted his thanks, and for a moment Sten felt a pang of guilt for what he was about to do.

                Watching Elissa's relentless assault on the dragon, Sten could see the moment when Alistair realized the other Warden's intentions.  The future king broke away from the melee, but before he could move more than three steps in the creature's direction, Sten dropped his sword and wrapped powerful arms around the human.  Zevran moved in to cover them, his blades whirling around the two and felling darkspawn as Arl Eamon's men closed in to protect the king.

                "Quickly, kadan!" Sten shouted over the shrieks of the abominations around him.

                Alistair froze for a moment in shock before the other man's words crashed over him and realization dawned on his face.  With a furious roar, Alistair heaved against him, yet Sten held him fast.  Elissa looked back at the two, tears falling down her face and Alistair let out a howl of impotent fury and despair at her betrayal.

                "Let me go!" the human screamed hysterically, fear and desperation giving him a new surge of strength.  Sten snarled, stumbling for a moment before becoming steel at Alistair's back once more.  "By the Maker, don't do this Elissa!  Please!"

                "This is how it must be," the qunari said, his voice tinted with sorrow.  "She knows her duty, as should you."

                "Don't make me watch her die," Alistair sobbed, sagging in the other man's grip.  Sten was supporting most of his weight as the human sunk to his knees.  "I can't do this without her..."

                "Then dishonor her sacrifice by looking away if it makes you feel better!" Sten hissed, wrenching Alistair's arms behind his back.  "Respect what she must do and feel _proud,_ honor her _!_ "

                Alistair's fury returned full force at that, nearly dislocating his shoulder in his renewed efforts of freeing himself.  He was screaming for her, begging to the Maker, cursing Sten and the very same Maker he plead to for deliverance.  Still, Sten held onto him as he watched Elissa close in on the nearly dead Archdemon.

                For just a mere moment, Sten saw her hesitate as she looked over at her lover.  Their eyes met and Alistair's screaming became strangled when he watched her turn her back and grab a nearby sword.  Time seemed to slow as she climbed the great beast, struggling for purchase as the creature thrashed in its death throes.  Before sheathing the steel into the creature's skull, she locked eyes with Alistair and mouthed, "I love you".

                The steel slid into the monster's skull with little resistance and a blinding light erupted from the wound, engulfing the archdemon and the Grey Warden upon its back.  Elissa's face flashed before Alistair - her wicked grin when he accidentally made a double entendre, how her eyes would narrow as she drew an arrow back to rest against her cheek, watching her face flush in pleasure under him before her lips parted in a strangled cry as her release flowed through her.

                Alistair could hear her screams distantly, as though he were at the far end of a tunnel before an explosion threw both Sten and himself back.  The last thing Alistair heard before losing consciousness was the Archdemon's shriek of rage and defeat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always loved Sten's relationship with the Warden. I figured if anyone would understand duty, it would be him. So who better to trust with her final wish?  
> I haven't quite finished this work, but once the semester is over I'll be coming back to finish it.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a depressing, angst ridden ficlet that came to me at 3 in the morning. Hope you enjoy :)


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